Monday, May 15, 2006

Word 'em up.


my fave word this week is "busking," you know, the age-old practice of street performers playing for money. first of all, the word is just deliciously british sounding. it almost sounds like a dirty word, which is always fun. and the actual busking itself is so much nicer than strict begging. who hasn't stopped to enjoy a trash can band or to take pictures of a man painted gold acting like a robot? they are bringing joy to the world, one street performance at a time.

sadly, i haven't seen much of one of my favorite buskers, the blind woman who has been playing recorder on the streets of philadelphia for years. in the 90's she was on south street; in the 2000's i saw her in rittenhouse square area. but in the past couple of years i have seen her no more. i hope she's ok. in her absence, i will have to enjoy the guys that breakdance in the square. the busk the best.

6 comments:

Smedelicious said...

Dude, she's outside the Cosi on Walnut. Are we talking about the woman who plays the flutephone?

Beanorama said...

she's alive!! i thought it was a recorder.

Anonymous said...

I saw her last week enjoying a pretzel and rocking back and forth. I can only assume she was on a break. And yes, she plays the recorder. I wonder if she started playing in 4th grade like the rest of us. If so, i certainly admire her devotion to her instrument.

Smedelicious said...

That is a flutephone...what the hell is a recorder? And she doesn't play songs, she just moves her fingers...all in all, she is a Philadelphia Busking tradition, eh?

Anonymous said...

i want to see this woman, stat-i recommend we organize a busking scavenger hunt.

Beanorama said...

too weird. last night i was walking home from alma de cuba past the cosi on walnut... i didn't see her, but i did hear the faint sounds of a recorder/ flutephone... i looked around frantically, but it was like she was playing from heaven...